Pittsburg State University Nursing School Review

Pittsburg State University (PSU), located in southeast Kansas, has been educating students since 1903. Since 1970, when it established a baccalaureate nursing program, it has been educating future nurses. The school enrolls about 7000 students each year; of these students, about 500 are pursuing degrees in the nursing field. PSU’s nursing programs, both at the undergraduate and the graduate level, are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

PSU’s Department of Nursing, which is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. About 150 students are enrolled in this program, preparing for careers as Registered Nurses (RN). Students who wish to complete the BSN program begin by earning sixty-six credits, fulfilling the nursing prerequisites and the university’s general education requirements. In addition, they must complete a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training course, which is available at PSU. In their sophomore year, they apply for admission to the BSN program. If accepted, they begin nursing courses and clinical rotations in their junior year. In total, a BSN student must earn at least 125 credits in order to graduate. This includes at least sixty-three nursing credits.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN

An RN who has an associate degree or diploma in nursing can complete a BSN degree in just one year, through PSU’s RN to BSN program. Incoming RNs need to earn thirty-two nursing credits in order to complete the program. In addition, an RN must complete any missing general education requirements. PSU requires at least sixty-two credits of general education courses/nursing prerequisites; if an RN is missing any of these, the program will take longer than one year to complete. The program will also require more than a year to complete if the nurse enrolls on a part-time basis. PSU offers the RN to BSN classes in three different formats: online, on campus, and hybrid (partly online and partly on campus).

Master of Science in Nursing in Family Health

Each fall, PSU begins the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Family Health curriculum, which prepares RNs to seek certification as either a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). Students in the MSN program must commit to at least two years of study. They may take longer than two years to complete the program, if they wish to study on a part-time basis. All MSN students complete at least twenty-nine credits of core graduate nursing coursework, before moving into courses leading to certification as either a CNS or FNP.

Family Nurse Practitioner Track –

A student on the FNP track of the MSN program must complete eighteen credits in addition to the core graduate nursing coursework. PSU cooperates with the University of Kansas, Wichita State University, and Fort Hays State University to offer these classes.

Clinical Nurse Specialist –

A nurse on the CNS track of the MSN program can choose to focus on family health nursing administration or family health nursing education. Regardless of her chosen area of emphasis, she must earn eight credits in addition to the core graduate nursing credits.

Continuing Education for Nurses

Each year, PSU offers a variety of continuing education programs for RNs and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). The course offerings vary from year to year, with one exception. Each October, PSU hosts the Midwest Health Professions Conference.

Certified Nurse Assistant Course

PSU frequently offers a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) course, which is open to PSU students and to residents of the surrounding community. Prospective BSN students must complete this course before starting clinical rotations, but it can also provide a direct entry into the nursing profession. Students who take the CNA course are eligible to take the CNA exam offered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Contact:
Pittsburg State University
1701 South Broadway
Pittsburg, KS 66762

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